Women’s rights protests have surged across Iran, building on
the momentum of the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom movement sparked by Mahsa Amini’s
death. Demonstrations challenge mandatory hijab laws, gender discrimination,
and state repression, drawing global attention amid crackdowns. These uprisings
reflect deep-seated grievances over patriarchal policies entrenched since the
1979 Islamic Revolution.
Historical Roots of Gender Inequality
Iran’s gender dynamics shifted dramatically after the 1979
Revolution, when Ayatollah Khomeini’s regime imposed strict Islamic codes. The
new constitution mandated veiling for women in public, reversing
pre-revolutionary gains where females comprised 30% of university students and
held prominent roles in professions. By 1983, hijab became compulsory via the
Islamic Penal Code, with violations punishable by fines, lashes, or
imprisonment over 100,000 women arrested in the first year alone.
The 1980s saw family laws favor men: polygamy legalized,
divorce rights skewed toward husbands, and inheritance shares halved for
daughters. Women’s workforce participation dropped from 13% in 1976 to under
10% by 1990, per World Bank data, as segregation policies confined them to
“suitable” jobs. Yet resilience emerged reformist President Khatami’s
1997-2005 era legalized women’s sports spectatorship and raised marriage age to
13, though enforcement lagged.
Under hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-2013), reversals
accelerated: gender quotas limited university admissions for women in 77
fields, citing “imbalance.” By 2010, female literacy hit 96%,
surpassing men’s 94%, fueling demands for equality. These policies sowed seeds
for protests, as educated youth—60% of university students female chafed
against legal barriers.
Mahsa Amini: The Catalyst Igniting Nationwide Fury
On September 13, 2022, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in
Tehran police custody after her arrest by morality police for improper hijab.
Autopsy reports, leaked by activists, revealed blows to the head and body,
contradicting official claims of a heart attack. Her Kurdish heritage amplified
outrage, evoking ethnic minorities’ marginalization Kurds face systemic
discrimination, with Persian-centric policies stifling cultural rights.
Stephanie Keith/Getty ImagesCredit:
Protests erupted immediately in Saqqez, her hometown,
spreading to 200 cities within days. Chants of “Woman, Life, Freedom”
(Zan, Zendegi, Azadi), a Kurdish slogan united women, students, workers, and
even some clerics. Over 250 killed in the first month, per UN estimates,
including 68 children; 19,200 arrests followed, with 500+ death sentences
issued.
Amini’s case exposed the Gasht-e Ershad patrols’ brutality:
1,000+ daily stops pre-2022, disproportionately targeting unveiled women.
Security footage showed officers dragging women into vans, sparking viral
videos that evaded censors via VPNs—usage surged 700% during peaks.
Forms and Spread of Intensifying Protests
By 2026, protests evolved from street clashes to sustained
defiance. Women burn hijabs in Tehran squares, cut hair in public, and enter
stadiums unveiled—defying 2023 bans. University walkouts hit 80% of campuses,
with female students boycotting classes; labor strikes in oil refineries and
factories joined, halting 20% of production briefly.
Geographically, intensity varies: Tehran sees nightly
clashes, with 50,000 participants in October 2025 rallies. Kurdistan and
Baluchestan provinces endure deadliest responses—70% of protest deaths—due to
armed resistance. Rural areas report “white hijab” campaigns, where
women wear plain white scarves as passive protest.
Digital amplification thrives: #MahsaAmini trended globally
1.5 billion times, per NetBlocks. Balcony chants at 9 PM synchronize
nationwide, evolving into flash mobs. Exiled activists like Narges Mohammadi,
Nobel Peace Prize 2023, coordinate from Evin Prison via smuggled messages,
inspiring copycat actions.
Key Demands and Grievances
Protesters demand abolition of compulsory hijab, enshrined
in Article 638 of the penal code (74 lashes or 2 months jail). Broader calls
target inheritance laws granting women half-shares, child custody biases
awarding boys post-7, and travel bans requiring husband approval—impacting 40%
of divorce cases.
Economic woes intersect: women’s unemployment at 22% vs.
men’s 10%, per 2024 stats, amid 40% inflation. Honor killings persist—500
annually unreported—under lax evidentiary rules. Reproductive rights lag:
abortion illegal except maternal risk, contributing to 300,000 illegal
procedures yearly.
LGBTQ+ women face compounded perils; transgender rights
stalled post-2017 fatwas. Protests frame these as patriarchal totality,
rejecting Supreme Leader Khamenei’s “Western feminism” label.
Government Crackdowns and Repression Tactics
Regime responses blend force and concession. Internet
blackouts totaled 10 days in 2022, costing $1B GDP; Starlink smuggling aids
circumvention. Basij militias—150,000 strong—deploy tear gas, birdshot
(blinding 1,000+), and live rounds; 600 deaths by mid-2023, HRW reports.
Post-2023, “forgiveness” amnesties freed 5,000 but
targeted leaders: executions of Mohsen Shekari (first protester hanged) and
Majidreza Rahnavard chilled dissent. Surveillance via facial recognition tracks
80% of Tehran cameras, linked to China tech. Women face
“re-education” camps, with 20,000 detained.
Credit: Getty Images
Khamenei’s 2024 fatwa branded protests “riots,”
justifying lethal force under Article 17 of the Islamic Penal Code. Yet
micro-concessions—like 2025 hijab fine reductions—fail to quell fury.
Societal Shifts and Generational Divide
Youth lead: 70% under 30 participate, per Iran Human Rights.
Social media fosters “burn the turban” symbolism—clerics targeted as
regime icons. Male allies shave beards, join chants; 40% of detainees male,
showing solidarity.
Class dynamics evolve: middle-class Tehranians fund VPNs,
while workers strike for wages. Exilic diaspora—4 million Iranian women
abroad—raises $100M via GoFundMe for legal aid. Polls (underground) show 85%
female support for hijab abolition, up from 60% in 2020.
Cultural rebellion thrives: graffiti art, protest rap by
Toomaj Salehi (executed 2025), and underground films evade bans. Universities
rename halls after Amini.
International Solidarity and Pressure
Global responses amplify: UN General Assembly condemned Iran
thrice since 2022; EU sanctioned 100 officials. U.S. admitted 50,000 Iranian
refugees; Biden’s 2025 “Mahsa Act” froze $6B IRGC assets. Women in
Europe, U.S. hold “Fridays for Freedom,” mirroring tactics.
Regional caution: Saudi Arabia, post-2023 détente, stays
silent; Turkey hosts exiles but trades oil. Israel’s 2025 strikes cited
protests as “internal weakness.” Nobel’s Mohammadi galvanized 1,000
cities’ vigils.
Credit: Mohammadi family archive photos/Reuters
Amnesty International documented 22,000 arbitrary arrests;
ICC probes war crimes since 2024.
Economic and Political Ramifications
Protests disrupt: GDP growth stalled at 1% in 2025, oil
exports down 15% from strikes. Brain drain accelerates 500,000 emigrated
2022-2025, 60% skilled women. Reform whispers emerge: Pezeshkian’s 2024
presidency promised hijab reviews, but Guardian Council blocks.
Succession loomsKhamenei, 86, health failing—protests target
son Mojtaba. Military splits: some IRGC wives protest covertly. 2026 elections
boycotted by 90% youth. Sustained intensity hinges on unity: ethnic fractures
risk dilution. Regime fatigue shows desertions up 20%. Yet nukes deter
intervention; China-Russia veto UNSC. Optimists eye Tunisia parallels;
pessimists, Syria.
Protests redefine Iran: from atomized dissent to collective
force. Amini’s grave, raided repeatedly, symbolizes unyielding spirit.
Escalation persists, demanding systemic overhaul.
